The Office of Forensic Mental Health Services is a division of the Department of Social and Health Services’ Behavioral Health and Habilitation Administration. We oversee the state’s adult forensic mental health system.
Forensic services occur where the law and psychology meet. For people involved with the forensic mental health system, services include competency evaluations, care and treatment to restore competency, forensic navigator services, diversion services, jail technical assistance, workforce development, and more.
We strive to improve forensic mental health throughout Washington state by partnering with state agencies, communities, behavioral health providers and law enforcement in areas such as mental health resources in jails, competency restoration, diversion programs, and community resources. We work to better support people living with mental illnesses who encounter the criminal court system.
Our five-prong effort
We developed five approaches to ensure that people in jail receive the services they need so they can stand trial and reduce their risk of reoffending.
Forensic evaluators
Forensic evaluators inform the court of a person’s mental state and ability to understand the criminal charges and participate with their lawyer in their defense.
Forensic evaluators employed by OFMHS are doctoral-level psychologists who have specialized training and expertise that allows them to apply psychological principles to the courtroom.
These staff assist in the delivery of services that help ensure that the rights afforded to people by the U.S. Constitution are upheld and the safety of the public is recognized.
Forensic navigators
Forensic navigators help move forensically involved clients from jails and inpatient treatment settings to outpatient competency restoration, and provide a variety of services to people ordered into outpatient competency restoration. Forensic navigators refer clients to Health Care Authority programs like Forensic Housing and Recovery through Peer Services and Forensic Projects for Assistance in Transition from Homelessness, and other community and local diversion and assistance programs.
Diversion programs
Diversion programs support people with behavioral health challenges involved with the criminal court system to seek alternatives to incarceration.
Diversion navigators identify people in jail who may be eligible for specialized wraparound services. These positions were created to help break the cycle of people in jail committing additional criminal offenses after their release.
The Prosecutorial Diversion Program offers people similar services through contracted programs.
Jail technical assistance
The Jail Technical Assistance program provides information and support to jails and others working within the criminal court system through a range of outreach efforts, including a monthly webinar series. We also provide guidance to Washington jails regarding evidence-based practices for behavioral health services in jail settings through the program’s guidebook. This publication provides information and resources to jail staff in areas such as transition planning, suicide prevention, and crisis de-escalation.
Workforce development
We provide a forensic workforce development program that supports efforts to recruit and retain mental health professionals who provide an array of services in communities throughout Washington. Our team promotes careers in forensic mental health and supports the existing workforce through training and assessment of workforce needs.